Man disappears from courtroom while jury deliberates

SALISBURY, NC (WBTV) - A Rowan County man has disappeared just moments before a jury convicted him on drug charges.

On Thursday, a Rowan County Superior Court jury convicted Reginald Dean Oglesby, 39, in absentia for selling cocaine to an undercover Rowan County Sheriff's Office investigator.

Oglesby, also known as “Weasel”, went on trial Wednesday for selling cocaine on August 12, 2013 to the investigator.

At the close of arguments and jury instructions, the jury went into chambers to deliberate. The jury reached a guilty verdict in approximately 20 minutes, but Oglesby never returned to court, according to investigators.

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Oglesby was out of the jail on bond and was not in custody during the trial. Investigators say Oglesby left the courtroom against the advice of his lawyer before the jury returned with the verdict.

Oglesby has several other charges pending in Rowan County Superior Court, including drug trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm.

Oglesby has no less than 12 felony convictions, beginning on September 14, 2000, and ending on May 4, 2011, according to NC Department Of Corrections records.

The convictions include obtaining property by false pretense, possess with intent to sell or deliver cocaine (multiple), maintaining a dwelling, solicit to take indecent liberties with a child and attempt to traffic in cocaine.

The Rowan County Sheriff's Office is seeking his arrest and a $1,000 reward is being offered for any information that leads to his apprehension.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Rowan Sheriff's Office at 704-216-8700, or Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

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